


Beneath Your Mask

by Cromm768



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Awkward Flirting, Coffee, Dating, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gift Giving, Handholding, Hugs, Kissing, Loss of Parent(s), Love Confessions, Masks, Rain, Rated M just in case, Self Pity, Slice of Life, Spoilers, Teacher-Student Relationship, headpats, lowkey sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:33:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cromm768/pseuds/Cromm768
Summary: A collection of one-shots of the ships in Persona 5 and Royal. Will spoil the events of the game and will be kept as canon and within the game world as possible. Can be read out of order, the chapters are isolated from each other
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Kawakami Sadayo, Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Amamiya Ren/Okumura Haru, Amamiya Ren/Sakura Futaba, Amamiya Ren/Takamaki Ann, Kawakami Sadayo/Kurusu Akira, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Okumura Haru, Kurusu Akira/Sakura Futaba, Kurusu Akira/Takamaki Ann, Niijima Sae/Takemi Tae
Kudos: 64





	1. Ren/Futaba #1

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo, so this is my first time writing a fic and I want this to be a series of one-shots exploring the different ships in the game. I will also be using Ren Amamiya as his name. Love to hear people's thoughts on my writing and I'm also interested in seeing what ships people want.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> *I also I have a habit of starting new ideas before finish old ones so I apologize for all the unfinished chapters lol*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren x Futaba

“It’s the calm before the storm, Ren, make sure you’re ready for whatever comes, okay?”

Ren rubbed Morgana’s ears. “It’ll be fine, we’ll be ready for anything Shido throws at us.” He opened his school bag, taking out books to free up space for his partner in crime. “Plus, we have time to spare. He wouldn’t dare make a move before the election.”

Morgana hopped into his bag and said, “But the election gives him all the more reason to bolster his defenses. I have a feeling his palace will be unlike anything we’ve ever had to deal with, and who knows what kind of traps and shadows will—”

“Like I said,” Ren zipped up his bag, leaving just enough room for Morgana’s head to pop out, “there’s no need to worry about things out of our control. We’ll just have to deal with it when the time comes.”

“Heh, even though it’s your archnemesis, I should’ve known you’d be just as cool as ever.”

Ren wrapped his bag under his shoulder, hiding a sigh. _As cool as ever, huh?_ The rain pattering on his window turned violent, like a flurry of rocks being hurled from the sky at him. He grabbed his umbrella but forwent his raincoat, trying to find it now would make him late to class. He hurried down the steps of Leblanc and Futaba was sitting at the end of the bar, drinking coffee all by herself.

“Mornin’, Ren.” she said, averting her eyes.

“Hey, rare to see you up this early,” Ren scanned the back of the bar but his caretaker was nowhere to be found.

“Sojiro’s out for the day. I think he said something about meeting a friend in Shibuya,” She leaned over the counter and grabbed a clean cup. “I know he—uh, usually makes you a cup of coffee in the morning, so—uh... I was wondering if it’d be cool if I made you one today instead?” She nuzzled the cup against her chest, her eyes fixated on it.

Ren let out a soft smile and shrugged, “Sure, I don’t see why not.”

“Awesome! Sojiro says my coffee rivals even his own.” She leaped from the stool and ran up to the coffee maker. “It’ll be just one sec!”

Ren nodded and leaned onto the counter, watching as she fiddled with the machine. For someone who preferred the familiarity of their room and neet lifestyle, seeing her in Leblanc made him want to pat her head. She was doing her best with his help, and had been for a few months now. But in the back of his mind, he wondered if their pace was too slow. His departure date in spring loomed over him like a cloud, and as the days got closer and closer, the cloud grew darker. Maybe Sojiro or one of the others in the Phantom Thieves would help her when he leaves, but that didn’t sit well with him.

Futaba placed a cup of coffee in front of him and said, “Here ya go, it’s on the house!” Steam rose from the cup, turning the stuffy humid air into a warm chocolatey haze, inviting him to take more than a sip.

“Thanks.” He took it and as he raised it to his mouth, Futaba returned to her stool shoulders slumped, her smile faint, and her eyes lost staring into the bar. Maybe she’ll never change, he thought. Maybe she wore a mask around him. He blew on his coffee a few times before taking a sip. Sojiro was right; this was damn good coffee.

“Hey,” Morgana said, “if you don’t hurry up, you’re going to be late!” 

“Right,” Ren moved towards the door but stopped as he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned around and Futaba was blushing and staring into the ground with her hands behind her back.

“Ummm, I—uh.” Her voice squirmed like her body. “Here!” She brought her hands up, revealing a face mask with a Phantom Thieves emblem on it. “I thought you might’ve needed it, you know, just in case Shido sees you or something.”

Ren took it and covered his face. “Thanks,” he said, hiding his smile.

“Wouldn’t a Phantom Thieves logo make us stand out even more?” Morgana said. Ren threw his shoulder forward, sending Morgana tumbling around in his bag. “Arghh! Ok, stop! Do you want me to puke on all of your stuff?”

“Well, I’d rather you not puke at all,” Ren said.

Futaba let out a giggle, and finally, their eyes met.


	2. Ren/Haru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren x Haru

“Look,” Morgana said, “the rain’s finally letting up.”

Ren peered his head out of the entrance to the station and sighed. The opening between the clouds was big enough to fool a cat hiding in his bag, but not him, nor anyone else for that matter. Torrential rain warnings were all over the news for the past few weeks, so rather than hoping for it to let up, it was safer to always have an umbrella. Why worry or complain about something that can't be controlled? It was easier pretending the rain would never end.

“Hey!” Haru ran down the station’s stairs, leaping off the final steps towards him. “Sorry I’m late.” Her blushing cheeks and elegant smile along with her pink poofy jacket made her stand out like a rose in a sea of dandelions. Losing her in a crowd of businessmen in black suits and students in grey coats would be impossible. But even though she wore that jacket all the time, this was the first time he noticed just how cute her whole outfit really was.

Ren glanced at his watch and smiled. “Does being a minute-late really count as being late?”

“Of course it does.” She pouted, crossing her arms. “My father always told me to never be late, instead, ‘try your hardest to make the other person late.’”

“He may have been referring to business people, Haru.”

“Indeed, however, business is not about getting the right cards—” She lowered her head, her gaze fixated on the puddles outside, the glint in her eyes drowning away, “but knowing how to use them.”

Ren hid a sigh amongst the moving crowd. To say the death of her father was hard on her was doing her a disservice. She kept him close to her heart, often reminiscing about their past, but ever since she took over the operations of Okumura Foods, she’s been staring at the ground and sky a lot. A death like that, to be then thrust into a CEO job of a company worth millions of dollars, all-the-while being surrounded by opportunistic executives? No matter how hard Ren thought about it, there was no way he could come up with the right words to console her. But Ren didn’t seek pity when he was cast away. When he was alone, surrounded by people judging him at school everyday, not once did he ever lose hope. And with the help of Ryuji, Ann, and the others, he fought back and changed his life for the better.

He reached out and gently rubbed the top of her head, making her blush even harder.

“What are you doing?” Haru’s warm smile returned as she nuzzled her head into his chest. “There’s a lot of people here,” she whispered, “what if someone from school sees us?”

“No one will notice us,” Ren said, “they’re too worried about stepping in puddles.”

Haru gave a playful push and spun to face away from him. “Shouldn’t we get going,” she said, opening her umbrella dotted with pink flowers. That princess aura about her made her look straight out of a fairytale, as if a bird was going to land on her shoulder and start singing. If that happened, maybe the rain would stop too.

He followed her lead but as they walked out towards the station’s courtyard, she stood like a statue. Everyone passing by paid no mind; they all swerved around her without evening looking up. It was like she didn’t exist in their minds even though she was brighter than the sun.

She held out her hand from under her umbrella, staring at the little droplets of water as they formed little puddles in her palm. “Is the rain really that bad?” Her voice was faint against the overhead screens advertising Big Bang Burger, the endless honking of the taxis circling the station, and a politician standing on a crate yelling about today’s youth. She closed her umbrella and gazed at the dark clouds, letting the rain fall on her face.

“Hey, shouldn’t you stop her before she gets a cold,” Morgana said from within his bag. 

Of course the thought crossed Ren’s mind, but he was sure it crossed hers as well. So he stood there, watching with a gentle smile because for the first time outside of the palaces, she looked focused. But calling out Morgana for trying to help her was pointless; from Morgana’s tiny little view inside Ren’s bag, all he saw was a lonely girl drowning herself in the rain. And as her eyes fell back onto Ren’s, she shrugged and said, “I think it’s quite pleasant.”

Ren folded up his umbrella. “Apparently my resident cat disagrees.” He walked over and held her hand. The rain didn’t feel as harsh anymore, and together they made their way towards central street.

“It’s this way, right?” Haru said, pointing towards a dark alleyway. “I remember from the photos I saw online.”

Ren nodded and kept close to her. A lot of shady men in suits loitered around the entrances to unmarked buildings in this area. Hunters, like the ones that worked with Kaneshiro, and beautiful girls like Haru made perfect prey. One of the pudgier bald ones stepped out in front of her, slowly swaying side-to-side with his hands in his pockets. He eyed her up and down, ignoring Ren’s presence completely. “It’s not every day we get to be graced by a princess,” he said.

‘Hey,” Morgana tossed around in his bag and whispered, “Aren’t you going to—”

Ren winked and whispered back, “Don’t worry about her.”

“Hey, kid, why don’t you get lost.” His eyes darted back to Haru’s and he flashed a bit of cash from his pocket. “You’re so beautiful, I have just the right business proposition for you. How about we discuss it away from the ears of poor dumb brats like him?”

“I would be willing but first you must tell me the total worth of your assets,” she said.

“What?”

“What is your shareholder value, and how much is your stock?”

“Uh—I...” The man’s confusion quickly turned into a belly laugh. “Listen, none of that shit you learn in economics class matters in the real world.” He grabbed her wrist, a fatal mistake. “Just come with me and I’ll make it worth your while.”

“I see,” Haru said, whipping her arm free and walking past him. “Then we have nothing more to discuss.”

“Hey! I wasn’t finished.” The man reached for her, but Ren pulled out his airsoft pistol and pressed it into his back.

Ren used his umbrella to cover the scene, and after making sure no one else was around, he said, “My client wishes to be left alone.”

“Ha, you’re probably using a fake. You don’t scare me, kid.”

Ren smirked, “You’re another idiot remnant of Kaneshiro’s gang, aren’t you?”

The man’s laughter was cut short, and Ren could almost feel the chill going down the man’s spine. “Kaneshiro! Don’t tell me you’re—”

“Don’t go making assumptions,” Ren said. “I’m merely a bodyguard trying to protect my lady’s interests in Shibuya.”

“Alright, alright I get it, please don’t shoot me!”

“Of course, but if I ever see your face in Shibuya ever again,” Ren jabbed the gun further into his spine. “Well, let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.” The man collapsed onto the puddle in front of him and scrambled away like a rat.

Ren hid the gun back into his bag, rubbing Morgana’s ears as a thank you for pushing it up where he could easily grab it.

Haru stepped into the puddle where he fell and said, “What were you going to do if he wasn’t affiliated with Kaneshiro? I’m sure there were more gangs in Shibuya operating independent of him anyway.”

“Then... I would’ve had to pull the trigger,” he joked.

Haru giggled and wrapped her arms around his body. “I wish I could be as tough as you are.” Ren returned the hug and leaned in for a kiss.

Their lips parted, and Ren gazed into her eyes, he saw the sun’s reflection. “You don’t have to be, because you’re already the strongest person I’ve ever known and loved.”


	3. Tae/Sae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sae Niijima x Tae Takemi  
> First part in Tae's pov. Second part in Sae's pov.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is still a work in progress but I just wanted to get it out there.

“Listen, plague, don’t think for a second that your clinic is safe, what with being tucked away in little Yongen-Jaya, because I assure you Oyamada will tear this place to the ground.”

“I appreciate the sentiment inspector, but if you have evidence of malpractice why not just go obtain a warrant and— Oh! Of course, because you don't, so you can’t.” Tae threw her clipboard on her desk and gestured towards the door. “Now if you’d excuse me, I have to prepare for my next patient.”

The inspector leaned in. “You can’t run from your failures forever; One day you’ll have to pay the price of taking that little girl’s life.”

Tae smirked. “We all have our debts, inspector, and I intend to pay mine my way. And you’ll see, Oyamada will see, everyone will see I was right all along. My work will not have been in vain.”

“Your work killed a child. You’re the plague, a disgrace to real professionals.”

“Oh, a disgrace, huh? I wonder how much he paid you to say that line, did you practice in front of a mirror, or are you just that good talking to women?”

“You really think this is all a joke,” The inspector paused as the bell above the entrance door behind him rang, following a patter of heel steps on the tile floor. “What if we start spreading rumors of you orchestrating a drug ring in this wholesome little town, would you still be laughing then?”

“Probably not, but gossiping wouldn’t be very professional, would it?”

The man glared at her. This was only their third time meeting, but she knew how to push his buttons. A person whose only purpose was to intimidate was usually easy to provoke. His veiled threats and empty promises were nothing more than shitty Yelp reviews. He could show up— hell, Oyamada himself could show up every single day and it wouldn’t change a damn thing. And even if they shut down her clinic, she wouldn’t give up that easily.

“Move,” the inspector said, bumping shoulders with the tall long silver-haired woman who just walked in.

The woman rolled her eyes, flipping her hair over her shoulder and muttering something under her breath. Her black suit and the clack of her heels made her seem like another agent, another threat, and as she walked over to the counter, the lights overhead dimmed.

“Excuse me,” she said, bowing her head. “My name is Sae Niijima, I work at the prosecutor’s office.” There it was, Tae thought. But the inspector bumped into her like she was nothing. Was this Niijima sent from another party? No, of course not, who else would go as far as to get the city’s prosecutor involved? “I don’t have an appointment,” she continued, “If that’s okay, may I still be seen?”

“Uh,” Tae shook her head, finally making contact with those sharp eyes of her. “Is this Oyamada’s idea for finding evidence, agents disguised as patients?”

Niijima crossed her arms. “Evidence? Oyamada? I have no clue what you’re talking about. I’m here because a friend, or rather, associate of mine, referred me. Does the name Joker ring a bell?”

“Joker?” Tae shot up from her chair, surprised that Niijima was still tall, and glanced over to the waiting room. Seeing the chairs empty made her sigh and she fell back into her chair. “He’s never sent any of his friends to my clinic before,” Tae tried locking eyes with her again, but Niijima darted hers to the counter, the floor, the wall behind her, anywhere but Tae. She was a nervous wreck, and it was Tae’s fault. “Dammit, I’m such an idiot.” Tae dropped her head into hands. “Please forgive me, I thought you were another one of Oyamada’s goons.”

“Oyamada, you mean Shoichi Oyamada, the one who runs a university hospital? What’s he doing attacking a small clinic all the way out here?”

“It’s nothing really, don’t worry about it. I’m sure you’ve got a lot on your plate if Ren’s recommending you to see me anyway,” Tae grabbed her clipboard, replacing the paper, and hurried to usher Niijima in.

After another awkward exchange of pleasantries, the beautiful prosecutor gently sat in the middle of the bed, twirling her hands through her hair while bouncing her leg up and down. It was then Tae noticed her purple nails and small earrings. It reminded her of school when she had to wear an all-black uniform like Niijima’s suit, where becoming unique meant getting piercings, trying out rougher hairstyles, and using muted nail polish. She glanced at her reflection in a mirror on the other side of the room and smiled, some things never changed. She sat down on her stool and rolled over to Niijima. “So, what kind of pills are you looking for, Mrs. Niijima? I’m sure Ren told you this already, but my supply isn’t exactly approved by the authorities.”

“I—uh, actually....” Niijima let out a deep sigh. “Actually, I don’t know. I don’t even know why I bothered. I should’ve just gone to my regular doctor.” As she rocked her body from side-to-side like a ship at sea, Tae reached out and placed her hand on her shoulder.

“It’s okay, Mrs. Niijima, I’m here to help you any way I can. For a lot of us, going through the normal means isn’t enough, sometimes we need to reach out and try new things, experiment, meet new people.” She gazed into her eyes. “It shows you’re trying to make a change, a good change in your life.” A small, but wholesome smile formed on the prosecutor’s dreary face. “Plus, Ren’s good at solving people’s problems, for better or worse.”

“You’re right about that.” Niijima chuckled, leaning her head back and staring at the ceiling. “But I didn’t come here with intentions of buying illegal drugs from The Plague.”

Tae retracted her hand. “So why did you come here?”

“Don’t laugh, okay?” Tae crossed her legs and nodded. “He said you make a really good person to talk to when he’s down, or lost, or... stuff along those lines, you know what I mean?”

“So a therapist?”

“No, no, not like that... I mean, like, how can I put it? Like, someone who’ll just lend an ear for me from time to time.”

“So... a friend?” A light blush appeared on Tae’s rather pale face. “He sent you to become my friend, The Plague’s friend?”

Niijima nodded, using her hair to hide her own blush.

Tae placed her clipboard aside, scrunching her face. Just what was that kid thinking? I’m a full-time doctor running my own clinic, not a daycare center. I don’t have time to be making friends, she thought.

“I apologize,” Niijima said, pushing herself up with tears forming in her eyes. “I knew this was a bad idea from the start.” But as she turned to walk away, Tae reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her in her tracks. And even though time seemed to pause for only a moment, Tae understood what it meant to let Niijima walk out the door. It meant betraying herself, her code of honor, her purpose, and worst of all, Ren, the one she trusted the most.

“Wait! If you’re a friend of Ren, then you’re already a friend of mine. So please, don’t go, not yet. At least let me hear you out, At least let me repay his kindness to you in some way.”

Niijima sighed. “It sounds like you’re doing this out of pity, Dr. Takemi. I wouldn’t want anything like that.”

Tae shook her head then gazed up into Sae’s watery brown eyes. “I make it my job to not pity others, but rather help them by any means necessary.” She motioned to the bed once more. “Please, have a seat. I promise I don’t bite, or at least I don’t have poison in my bite, if you're still worried about my nickname that is.”

Niijima fiddled with the ends of her hair before eventually nodding and returning to her spot. As she passed by, a hint of lavender filled Tae’s nose. A smell that went unnoticed even if you were to sit next to her on the train, a sort of hidden intoxication, inviting the very few and very brave. It was the type of perfume that chose its prey wisely, and for better or worse, Tae couldn’t stop smelling it.

Instead of sitting on her stool again, Tae plopped herself down on the bed next to Niijima. And not to her surprise, Niijima sat stiffer than a board, hands clasped on top of her thighs and her ankles crossed over one another. Perhaps prescribing a bit of Relax Gel wouldn’t hurt, she thought.

“Dr. Takemi, I—”

“Please, call me Tae, Mrs. Niijima.”

“Then... can you call me by my first name as well? It’s just that, well, it’s rare to hear someone other than my sister saying it.”

“Of course, no problem at all, Sae.” Sae’s blush intensified, and that alluring scent only made Tae scoot closer to her, close to where their thighs rubbed against each other. The air was getting warm to the point of making Sae sweat, so Tae reached out and placed the back of her hand against Sae’s forehead. But in doing so, Sae fell over, passing out in an instant. Tae repositioned the prosecutor’s slim body to more comfortably fit the bed, tucking her thin but long legs and arms under the blanket, and sliding an unused pillow under her head. Sae was in a deep sleep within minutes, and judging by the dark bags underneath her eyes, she needed it more than any drug in Tae's cabinet.

Tae turned off the light and walked back to the empty waiting room. It seemed her actual patient never showed up. Good, she thought, best not to disturb the one other person in this world who needed more rest than her.

~

Tae downed the rest of her beer can. “And so I told him, if he became my guinea pig I’d let him get access and a discount on my more intense items.”

“And it worked?” Sae said, sipping her can.

“Oh yeah! He even chugged my first batch without gagging! That kid is something else.”

“Well, he is a member of the Phantom Thieves after all, Ren’s been on death’s edge for months now” Sae whirled the half-empty can above the table. “And I can’t believe I was almost the one to do him in. I don’t know what I would’ve done if he died because of my failures. I don't know how I could go to work, or even live with that on my conscience.” Sae sat the can down and ran her fingers through her hair. A bunch of high schoolers managed to take down the evils in this city, while she played the villain, chasing them everywhere they went. In her eyes, she was the real hero, because bringing in those Phantom Thief vigilantes to the light meant justice. It would've proved her worth in the world, that she was capable of saving society by her own means. All for creating a safer future for Makoto.

“Are you feeling alright?” Tae said, her face so close Sae could feel the heat resonating from her.

“Oh, yes,” Sae said, scooting back and clearing her throat, “Whenever I drink, I tend to get lost in thought.”

“Mmmh... okay,” Tae got up and walked over to her bathroom. “Need to pee, don’t pass out on me alright?”

Sae smiled and as she took another sip of Tae’s seemingly endless stock of Sapporo beer cans, she thought about Makoto, and how she conspired against Makoto’s friends, betraying her trust to the point of becoming enemies. Enemies without even knowing. All those times shit-talking the Phantom Thieves when they appeared on the news, calling them gutless false-heroes, all of it for what? Justice? The truth? Who gave a shit about any of that if Makoto hated her in the end? But time healed all wounds, and it would heal this one too. Tears formed in her eyes. Thank you Makoto, Ren, the rest of them, she thought, thank you for changing my heart. She chugged the rest of her beer and slammed it on the table, making Tae flinch as she walked back.

“Hey, see?” she said, hurrying over. She sat down inches away from Sae and placed her hands on her shoulders. “I knew something was wrong. What happened?”

“It’s nothing,” Sae sniffled.

“C’mon, don’t tell me you’re one of those crying drunk types?” Tae’s face, her mouth, was mere inches away from hers. “You remember the day we met right?”

Sae nodded, unable to move away, her body getting hotter and hotter by the second.

“Then you remember our agreement, huh? You know, the one where you said I’d be the first to hear your problems with the one person you feel safe around.”

A lump formed in Sae’s throat and a beat of sweat dripped down her forehead. She told her everything the day they met in that tiny office of hers. It was a five-hour ordeal, complaining about her bosses, that brazen kid Akechi, and worst of all, the Phantom Thieves. She cried about her fuck-ups, the corruption of it all, but not once did she ever bring up the broken bond between her and Makoto or how close she was to ending Ren’s life. She would have to live with these sins for the rest of her life.

“It’s two things, really.” Sae took a deep breath, her heart fluttering and her eyes concentrating on her new best friend. “One’s about my younger sister, Makoto... all this time she was working against me, conspiring with the Phantom Thieves, and eventually becoming one herself. I didn’t know my own enemy could be someone I loved, I never stopped to consider the possibility. And when she revealed it to me, I was ashamed, ashamed that I failed as the bigger sister. I endangered her life all for the sake of satisfying my own ideals of justice,” Sae’s hands were shaking. “And I can never atone for that.”

“So you owe your sister an apology,” Tae crossed her legs and leaned onto Sae’s shoulder. “You can at least pay that back, right?”

“A simple apology isn’t enough for what I did.”

“It’s not? I think so, and I think Makoto does too.”

Sae dug her face into her chest. “You don’t know her, she’s not a stuck up honor student like I was. She’s becoming a real woman, a person full of emotions and feelings. And this kind of pain from one of her last family members is unforgivable.”

“Does she really think that, or are you just putting words in her mouth?”

“What do you mean?” 

“If your sister is anything like yourself, then she’s tougher than you think.”

Sae raised her head and watched as Tae downed another half-can of beer.

“We all have our debts, Sae, even I do. But some are bigger than others, worse than others, and some of us will go our entire lives working to repay what we owe. But sometimes we work so hard to only realize in the end we could’ve tried something new, something different, something to stop pitying ourselves.”

“Do you really think she’ll forgive me?”

“I’m willing to bet she already has, It’s really about you forgiving yourself.”

Sae stroked her hair. Tae was probably right. From her, or anyone else’s point of view, Sae was just doing her job. While it was easy to blame the Phantom Thieves for their secrecy, there was no way to predict the existence of that other world, the metaverse and those palaces. Ren sounded like a madman, using irrational statements to avoid why he and the others took such a radical approach to vigilante justice. But even before that, on the day she received her calling card, she felt a certain pain in her heart, like it twisted on its own. Knowing what happens now, why his gang steals a person’s heart, and the life-threatening work of it all, made her grateful they attacked her. Because if it weren’t for their success, she would’ve unknowingly lived the rest of her life with a broken heart and a broken family. She owed Ren everything, but he wouldn’t accept that. All he wanted was his friends to be happy, and if that was all it took to pay him back, she had no choice but to forgive herself.

“And?” Tae said, nudging her shoulder.

“Hm?”

“Two. You said two questions. Or am I drunk? Am I drunk?”

Sae giggled and snatched Tae’s can. “Maybe a little,” she said before taking a sip.

Tae pouted. “Thief....” Her voice trailed off into a deep silence, where only her breathing could be heard. “You know....” Tae’s breath was rugged, exhausted, as if something, or someone, was holding her down. Sae remembered the name Oyamada from that day. It was a name she later regretted researching. To think a cute punkish woman like her faced such a hardship so early on in her career made Sae belittle herself. How could she sit here and worry about what could’ve been while Tae was dealing with that tragedy? How come Tae was so strong and she wasn’t? “Uh—Don’t laugh at me for saying this okay?” Tae continued.

“What?”

Tae pressed her finger against Sae’s cheek. “I said: Don’t. Laugh. At. Me. Okay?” She stood up and sauntered over to her balcony and Sae followed with her eyes trained on her exposed legs. Tae was a short little goth, but she always wore dresses that hiked just over her thighs, drawing Sae’s eyes whenever they met. The way Tae leaned back, crossing her legs whenever she sat in that stool of hers in her clinic, made Sae’s heart thump against her chest. Her thighs looked squishy and now, as her black dress snuggly wrapped over her backside, Sae’s face began to heat up.

Being on the top floor, Tae’s apartment overlooked hundreds of buildings. Tokyo was vast but even from this height, Sae could only see a small bit of it. What was it like to see everything Tokyo had to offer, to stand above the clouds, above them all? She imagined shouting, loud enough so everyone could hear, but she had no idea what she’d actually say. The Phantom Thieves were innocent all along! she thought, or, Tokyo is safe in their hands! She shook her head, grabbing Tae’s attention.

“What was that?” Tae said.

“I don’t know, I just... let’s say you had the chance to say one sentence to everyone in this fucking city, and they would hear you no matter what. What would you say?”

“Everyone, huh?” Tae leaned on the railing. “Probably something like—” She took a deep breath of the cold air and yelled, “Go fuck yourselves!”

“That’s a bit heartless.” Sae smirked. “You’ll make everyone hate you.”

“Screw them, I didn’t want the world’s love anyway. Its hugs are cold and worthless and they’re bad kissers too.” Tae bit down on her lip. “And the second you mess up, they’ll throw you out the door without giving you a chance to pack your bags. And when you’re on the street scraping coins out of the mud, they’ll spit on you every once in a while just to see if you’re still kicking.” Tae sighed. “I don’t want shitty lovers like that.”

Sae wrapped her arm around Tae and leaned her head on her shoulder. “Neither do I.”

They stood there in silence once more, watching the cars as zoomed by one-by-one.


	4. Ren/Kawakami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren x Kawakami

“You really need to start looking after yourself more,” Kawakami-sensei said, picking Ren’s clothes off the floor. “It’s like you’re not even trying.”

Ren shrugged. “What’s the point when I can just call Becky?”

“Ugh, the point is, young man.” She placed the laundry basket on the floor and walked over to him with her hands on her hips. “You can’t keep putting off your responsibilities forever. What if I quit all of a sudden, who’s going to clean up your messes then?”

“You’re not going to quit.” Ren smirked, handing her a pile of Yen from his wallet. “So I don’t have to worry about it.”

“We’ll see about that, I don’t even know where you get the money to hire me, let alone once a week.” She snatched the bills and stuffed them in her pocket.

“What? Highschoolers are allowed to get part-time jobs, you know? I’m sure you’ve seen me behind the counter at Triple Seven at least once.”

“I guess so,” she sighed, “but it still doesn’t add up.”

Ren curled up in his bed, browsing his phone as she began dusting the tables and cabinets and sweeping the floor. But every once in a while he caught himself staring at her. Seeing her in that maid outfit was eye candy for sure, but at this point it was the same as seeing her in that yellow sweater she wore at school. Waiting all week just to get flustered by her slightly revealing maid costume for a few hours was tiring, but after talking to her over the months, he realized she didn’t get many suitors. She was relying on him just as he was on her, though he wasn’t paying any bills to stay in Leblanc.

He pitied her at first. His homeroom teacher being blackmailed, and dragged through the dirt by her fellow teachers, how could he not help her? But even though that ordeal was in the past, he still called her over every Friday to do the most menial tasks. It wasn’t like he just got back from mementos or a palace or anything, he just wanted to see her.

“Well?” Kawakami-sensei said, standing at the edge of his bed. “Other than laundry it looks like I’ll get to go home faster than I’d thought.” But just as she was turning away, Ren reached out and held her hand.

“Wait,” he said, “I need to talk to you about something... something important.”

“Is it more important than laundry, you know, the thing you paid me to do?”

Ren nodded. “It’s about us, our relationship I mean.”

Kawakami-sensei sighed. “What’s there to talk about? You’re not planning to exploit me too are you? You should be well aware by now the kind of position I’m in.”

“It’s not like just hear me out, okay?”

She crossed her arms. “Alright, fine. But you’re not gonna go confessing your love to me are you?”

Ren gazed into her eyes, regretting falling for her, regretting everything. Why did he have to feel this way about his teacher of all people? Why didn’t his heartbeat against his chest as it did now with anyone else? Was It because she was willing to wear a revealing maid costume, or because she called him “master” all the time, or because she did his laundry? No, of course it wasn’t. Maybe it was from all those hours they spent talking and listening to each other’s problems. Maybe it was when he gave her a shoulder to lean on when no one else would. Maybe it was because he knew what it was like to feel helpless in this cold and fuck-up world. And maybe because he wanted nothing more than to see her smile again.

“Oh my god, please don’t tell me—”

Ren averted his gaze, replying only with a single nod. He could hear the shakiness in her breathing.

“This is not happening, no, we can’t I mean we just can’t!” She tugged on her pigtails, about ready to rip them off. “We can’t,” she whispered.

“I know... I’m sorry.”

A suffocating silence hung in the room like a fog. He felt trapped, like being inside mementos, but this time he had no way out. Whatever he says, whatever he does, would only lead him down a bad route. But there was no retry, a relationship had no reset button. He couldn’t even summon a damn persona. He just had to keep going and hope he was going down the right path.

Kawakami-Sensei sat on the bed next to him with her back against the wall. Their shoulders were inches from touching, but Ren understood it just couldn’t be.

“I like you too, you know,” she said, “and I hate myself for it.”

Ren blushed, no longer caring if she could see him.

“It’s like, how could I fall for one of my own students? Am I fucking crazy or something?”

A smile broke through Ren’s face. “Maybe we’re both crazy.”

She laughed. “Probably, yeah.”

And again they sat in silence, this time for who knows how long. But he knew time wasn’t an issue. He had all the time in the world to explore his feelings. Acting on them now, doing something stupid, making regrets... would it even be worth it? Spring would come, his departure from Tokyo would come. And playtime would be over before he knew it. Maybe he’ll treasure those late-night talks instead, treasuring the way she flipped from his friend to teacher in an instant, treasuring the way she lectured him, treasuring those little moments.

“If,” Ren said, “if we pretend this never—”

“No,” Kawakami-sensei said. “I don’t want to hide my feelings behind a transparent wall. And I know you don’t want to either.”

“But your job. If anyone finds out—”

“I don’t mean it like that, Ren.” She moved closer to him and placed her hand onto his. “Let’s... let’s just talk, just for tonight, okay?”

Ren gently intertwined his fingers to hold her hand. “Okay.” Was I stupid? he thought, of course sensei would think the same way as I did. She wasn’t a woman so ready to just throw away her entire career for the sake of fulfilling the fantasies of some boy. Though at least she was willing to dress up as a maid for him, but that was it exactly. She was comfortable sharing her secrets, she was already risking her teaching job by being Becky. But she trusted him. She trusted he wouldn’t say a word to anyone, even Ryuji and Mishima. And because of that, he felt safe knowing she was well-aware of him being a member of the Phantom Thieves.

“At what point did you start having feelings for me?” Kawakami-sensei said.

“The day we met.”

She pinched his cheek. “I’m being serious.”

“Okay, okay. It was a few months ago, after you realized I was a Phantom Thief. It was the most stressful feeling of my life when you found out.”

She chuckled. “You can’t blame me for figuring that out, I’m your homeroom teacher after all. Plus you’re easier to read than you think.”

Ren smiled. “I guess I can’t fool them all. But, yeah, that night, how long did we spend talking?”

“Must’ve been four or five hours. All I remember is going home afterwards and crashing onto my bed in my costume. Can you believe that? I was so tired I didn’t even take this off.”

Ren glanced down at her chest as she said that.

“Hey, eyes up when your teacher is talking.”

Ren blushed even harder. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“Oh—no, it’s fine, it’s fine really. I’m just joking... sorry... so on that day, you said?”

“Y—yeah, I don’t know how to explain it but I—uh, I just felt safe telling you everything. Like I didn’t really care if I wasn’t making any sense or not. I just really liked that you were actually listening to me. I have friends my age who know too obviously, but talking with you was different, and I don’t know why.”

“Hmm.”

“What about you, sensei?”

“Shouldn’t it be obvious, you’re my hero, you’re the one who saved my life, changing it for the better.” she tucked her knees to her chest. “How could I not fall for you?”

“So it’s both of our faults,” Ren conceded with a smile.

“Mostly yours.”

They laughed in unison and for a moment, everything was okay. And maybe, that was all that mattered in the end. That at least tonight, they could hold hands and laugh at the absurdity of it all. And so when she would walk into class on Monday, she wouldn’t even bat him an eye, and neither would he.

“Just for tonight,” she said, fiddling with her hair. “Just for tonight, I’ll give you a kiss and that’s it.” She turned her head, her lips mere inches away from his.

Ren gulped, but he couldn’t get the lump out of his throat. “Is that, really alright with you?”

She sighed. “No, it’s not. I wish you weren’t so young, I wish you weren’t a student at Shujin, and I really fucking wish you weren’t my student. But—”

Ren leaned in, feeling the warmth radiating from her face.

“But tonight, I don’t care.” She wrapped her hands around him, closing her eyes and slowly pulling him in.

Their lips met. Hers was gentle and warm, inviting him to stay for as long as he wanted. He could tell she was way more experienced than him, but she likely knew this too as she kept her movements relatively small, allowing Ren to match her. Ren wrapped his arms around her as well, rubbing the palm of his hands up and down her back.

Eventually, their lips would part, she would go home, and two days later he would see her again at school. He would sit there in the back of the class reminiscing about this night, reminiscing when nothing in the world mattered except her. And maybe he would be okay with that.

“Wow,” she said, retracting her lips. “I had no idea you were such a good kisser.”

Ren smiled, gently bumping his forehead with hers. “Actually, this is my first time.”

“You’re not a good liar, Ren. I can see right through your mask.”

“I should get a new one then.”


	5. Ren/Ann

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren X Ann

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently unfinished

“Still,” Ann said, rummaging through his desk. “I can’t believe you make all of our tools yourself.”

“Morgana taught me,” Ren said as he sat down on his bed. “And half the time I make them in class when no one’s looking.”

Ann let a small giggle. ‘You’re good at that, you know?”

“Making tools? It’s really not that hard, you just need—”

“Not that, silly. I mean, you know, you’re good at doing whatever you want I guess. It’s like you don’t even care what people think of you.”

Ren shrugged. “It’s because at some point I cared too much, worried too much.” He remembered those first few weeks at Shujin, how everyone vilified him and treated him like trash. If they knew, if they were there, watching that man abuse that woman, would they still believe Ren was in the wrong? That he was a criminal and deserved to be locked up? He sighed. No, thinking like that was pointless, none of that mattered because Shido could just manipulate the masses anyway. Shido could’ve done it in the middle of Shibuya in broad daylight and it wouldn’t have made a difference in the end.

“When I came here,” Ren said, locking eyes with Ann. “I wanted to ‘rehabilitate’ and get my life back on track. And for those first few days I did as I was told. I came home on time, did my homework, you know, that kind of stuff. But I realized, maybe because I met you and Ryuji, that working towards a better future, doesn’t change the past. So no matter how hard I try and fix my reputation, so long as there’s a red mark on my record, someone will look at it and think I’m a terrible person. So... so fuck them, they can all fuck off for all I care.”

“Yeah...,” Ann said, fiddling with a lockpick. “I feel you completely.” She was an apple from the same tree as him. And it hurt because she was the kindest, most caring person he knew. She didn’t deserve to be slandered like that, and even though those girls apologized in the end, the damage was already done. But rather than turning into a shell of herself, she was more determined than ever. Who needed the world’s love anyway? It’s like the little bar on the Phan-site, the people will love you for what you are one day then hate you the next for the exact same reason. It only served as a reminder of how cruel this world really was.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” She said. “Saving people with twisted desires like Kamoshida. In a way it’s like saving the world, but honestly, outside of people like him who’ve hurt our friends, I almost don't even care. That place, Mementos, it made me realize just how many fucked up people are out there in society. We can’t help them all you know.”

Ren nodded. “Makes you wonder if we’re making a difference at all, or we’re just doing it to save ourselves.”

Ann’s gaze fell to the ground. “Save ourselves, huh?” She wandered over to his window and as she leaned out of it, Ren caught himself staring at the curves of her body. He remembered the shadow version of herself that Kamoshida conjured up. It sickened him to think he thought of her like that. It was distasteful and completely messed up. She wasn’t just some eye candy or anyone’s pet for that matter. But there was a small part of Ren that wanted to see more of her, to embrace her, to love her. Not in the way he did, but rather in his own way.

“But,” Ren pushed himself off his bed and stood beside her. “I think we have every right to be selfish.”


	6. Ren/Futaba #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren x Futaba #2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently unfinished

“Futaba!” Ren hurried down the aisle. “Futaba!” The crowd had grown so much that it was suffocating.

“Ren! Ren, help!”

Ren whipped his head around and watched in horror as Futaba was being pushed and jostled around like a marble going down a Rube Goldberg machine. He nudged past a group of businessmen and burst through the crowd, reaching for her hand.

“Ren!” She said, trembling on the ground.

He latched onto her hand, determined to never lose her again. “Let’s go,” he said, gazing into her teary eyes. He brought her up to her feet, knowing that people were staring at him, knowing they never stopped to help, knowing how funny it must’ve been for them to watch a poor girl break from anxiety because they were just spectators in an otherwise cruel world. They were the ones still standing, and because of that, they could sit on their thrones and laugh, laugh at the people who were hurting. Because in the aisles of an electronic store in Akihabara, what made the cries of help from a woman more important than buying a new tv? “C’mon, let’s get out of here.” But as he turned towards the exit, she didn’t move an inch.

“I can—I can still keep going,” she said. Her hands were shaking but her eyes were steady. She had a sharp look that said she didn’t want to fail, that she wouldn’t let society break her down. And though she’d seen the people of the outside world as vultures, praying on the fallible and weak, she still made the effort to go places with Ren. Though she wouldn’t admit it, Akihabara was home to her. For there were times, like now, where she’d go off on her own, adventuring down the endless floors and aisles hunting for treasures.

Ren smiled and rubbed her head. “We’ll stay for as long as you want.”

“Awesome!” She jumped and embraced him. “Too bad they close at 11, huh, or I’d be here all night.” 

“Right...” Ren laughed nervously, and together they continued perusing up and down the store, hand-in-hand as they browsed the newest video games, exchanging small glances at each other, blushing as their eyes met.

Every time she picked up a new game, she would inspect it thoroughly. Listing off the game directors, designers, and writers as if she knew them personally. She’d say how cool and realistic a game was and Ren would nod his head. She would hand him a figurine of a mask-wearing hero from one of her favorite animes and tell him about how he defeated villains to save the world. He would buy it for her and she would treasure it, just as he did for her smile.


	7. Ren/Makoto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren x Makoto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently unfinished

“And make sure you’re all studying for your midterms, okay?”

Ren fiddled with a bunch of silk yarn and tin, trying to remember how to make those lockpicks Morgana showed him the other day.

“Is that understood,” Kawakami-sensei said as she gazed at him. The school bell rang and as the entire class scrambled to be the firsts to go home, she let out a deep sigh and approached Ren, who was slow getting up.

“As your homeroom teacher, I’m concerned about you,” she said.

“But my grades are fine,” Ren said, shrugging.

“And as your maid,” she whispered, “I’m worried about you.” She glanced at the bits of metal and string sitting on his desk. “You can keep saving the world and be at the top of the class, Ren. But sometimes, I’ve noticed you can be a little... too focused at times. And it doesn’t matter how cool you think you are, one day you’ll find yourself too stressed, too burnt out to continue.”

“Thank you, sensei, but—”

“I don’t want to hear it, what I want to know is if you understand. Do you?”

Ren had several retorts ready, but the longer he thought about her words the more he realized how right she was. It’d been a rollercoaster of emotions of a semester, and though his love with Makoto had blossomed, the flower had been withered by trips to Mementos, and the dread of midterms. He knew how stressful of a time this was for not only himself but for Makoto as well.

Kawakami-sensei tapped him on the shoulder. “And I hope you realize I’m not only referring to you. Try and help Makoto relax a bit too, okay? With everything she’s gone through, the way the principal treated her, I think she could use a break. But no one—” her gaze fell to the floor, “—not even me, a teacher, wants to go tell the student council president to relax.”

Ren ran his fingers through a bit of his hair. Sensei was right. If he wanted, he could keep turning a blind eye, keep prepping for the palaces one after the other. All for what? To what end? Would they feel victorious, or rather happy, if they got used to being stressed all the time? Of course the answer was no, but Makoto was different from your typical student like Ryuji. She carried stress and pressures put on her wherever she went. They were inseparable from her.

“Sensei.” Ren grabbed his bag and flung it over his shoulder. “You’re right, I know you are, but is it really my place to prevent her... prevent her from achieving her goals?”

She sighed. “Like I said, Ren. Sometimes you just care too much. It makes you lose sight of reality. And the reality is, if you love her, if you care for her, then you shouldn’t let her go swimming alone. Because she’s the type to forget she’s drowning.”

~

Ren knocked on the door to the student council room fully aware he didn’t have to in the first place.

“Yes? Come in,” Makoto said.

He opened the door. “Hey,” he said with a smile, hiding a wrapped yakisoba bread behind his back. “How’s studying?”

Makoto sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Going as well as every other time I’ve studied... I guess.”

Ren walked over to her and gave her a small hug. “You’re one of the hardest workers I’ve ever known.” He revealed the yakisoba bread to her. “You eat anything yet?”

Makoto’s stomach grumbled and her face turned slightly red.

Ren smiled. “Here.”

She took it and leaned her head into his chest. “Thanks. I... I actually skipped lunch today.” She gazed towards the floor. “And I forgot to eat last night too.”

Ren squeezed her tightly. “You need to eat, you know. All that studying will go to waste if you end up in the hospital.”

“I know... I know,” she whispered. “Every time I stop though, I can’t help but feel like I’m falling behind, it’s like, I could always fit in another page then I’ll stop, or one more equation I can solve, or—”

“But you’re willing to starve yourself, for one more question?”

As she stood silently embraced in his arms, her head nuzzled in his chest, a deadly resolve burned quietly within her. He knew saying anything more would be pointless. She was brilliant, not because she studied, not because she outranked everyone in Shujin, but because she rose to the occasion. She was willing to sacrifice anything to achieve her goals, even if it meant herself.


End file.
